- GDP per capita is still lower than it was before the recession - Earnings and household
incomes are far lower in real terms than they were in 2010 - Five million people earn less than the Living Wage - George Osborne has failed to balance the Budget
by 2015, meaning 40 % of the work must be done in the next parliament - Absolute poverty increased
by 300,000 between 2010/11 and 2012/13 - Almost two - thirds of poor children fail to achieve the basics of five GCSEs including English and maths - Children
eligible for free school meals remain far less likely to be school - ready than their peers - Childcare affordability and availability means many parents struggle to return to work - Poor children are less likely to be taught
by the best teachers - The education system is currently going through widespread reform and the full effects will not be seen for some time - Long - term youth unemployment of over 12 months is nearly double pre-recession
levels at around 200,000 - Pay of young people took a severe hit over the recession and is yet to recover - The number of students from state schools and disadvantaged backgrounds going to Russell Group universities has flatlined for a decade
Eligibility for this program is determined in most cases
by a child's family
income (families below 250 % of federal poverty are
eligible), the rating of their local public school (students from schools rated C or below are
eligible), and grade
level (kindergarten students are
eligible without prior public school attendance).